Twelve Sky 2 Interview

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ALT1's MMOG sequel with a PvP orientation and a new faction for those who decide to leave their initial choices

By Richard Aihoshi - 'Jonric'

The philosophy that guides the Guanyin faction is founded on a belief in harmony and balance. Accordingly, the demeanor exhibited by its members is typically calm, even serene. Quite often, those who do not know them will interpret their peaceful manner incorrectly, deeming it an indication of weakness. However, any who try to take advantage learn immediately that they have badly miscalculated. In stark contrast, the appearance of Fujin warriors is daunting. Often clad in dark, menacing armor or apparel, they are clearly very quick and agile, which may help to explain their natural propensity for quick attacks and stealthy activities such as assassinations. Jinong fighters are more straightforward. They hail from a brutal region where the concepts of mercy and giving quarter to the fallen are unknown. Theirs is the way of strength, force, savagery, armed conflict and conquest.

Twelve Sky 2 is the PvP-oriented massively multiplayer sequel that will soon join free to play publisher Aeria Games' popular selection. Developed by ALT1, it offers these three factions from its predecessor, and will also add a fourth, the Nangin, which characters join in an unusual way. After advancing to a high level within any of the others, they can sever all connections in order to join the exiles. Of course, the new title will have more notable changes and additions. For example, there will be more area where players, groups and guilds can test themselves against each other, with broader ranges of both objectives and level brackets. It's also easy to see that the new graphics are up to date and competitive. In order to learn more, we posed a set of questions to Associate Producer Thomas McKay.

Includes three exclusive screenshots

Jonric: To start with, how would you summarize the original Twelve Sky? How successful has it been, and why?

Thomas McKay: The original Twelve Sky is an oriental-style MMORPG with a major focus on player versus player (PvP) combat. There are three warring factions that compete for control of various zones in order to provide benefits for themselves or their respective factions.

New players will first have to pick among the Guanyin, Fujin, and Jinong... After that, they select one of three different starting weapons available for each faction. Each has a specific function - defense, range or damage.

Twelve Sky has over a million registered users, and has been a premier title at Aeria Games. The major contributor to this success has been the continued support of its fans; without them, we could have never grown to such heights.

Jonric: As an introduction to Twelve Sky 2, what is its underlying premise, and how is it related to the first game?

Thomas McKay: The underlying premise of Twelve Sky 2 builds on the original game, except there are now a few major twists thrown in. The biggest change is the addition of a fourth faction, the Nangin, which is are comprised of players from each faction who have decided to leave their homelands in search of new beginnings. Players from the other three may join once they reach level 113, and fight against their former allies.

Another big improvement with Twelve Sky 2 is that there are PvP battles starting at level 10. This allows new players to get a taste for battle much more quickly than in the original.

Jonric: What differentiates this title from the ever-increasing number of choices available to fans of the massively multiplayer category?

Thomas McKay: Twelve Sky 2 has a very unique blend of PvP and PvE. Being able to gain experience and items from the former is something that set the original Twelve Sky apart from the competition. Along with this, there are other rewards that only come from PvP, such as articles that allow you entrance into great PvE areas. This is an excellent way to keep the game fresh and get the players involved in the complete experience.

Jonric: Please introduce the developer of the game, ALT1. What led to the decision to make a sequel, and when did development begin?

Thomas McKay: ALT1 (formerly Gigassoft) has been working with us since the beginning of Twelve Sky 1. They have been active in providing feedback and additional content changes. They share our passion for making Twelve Sky 2 even more successful than its predecessor.

Our understanding is that the developer had originally intended to make a major update to Twelve Sky. However, the engine did not allow them change everything that they wanted. Eventually their idea evolved into a new game, and then, they began adding other new content and trying to improve on features of the original.

Jonric: In addition to the new faction you already mentioned, what are the main changes, improvements and additions?

Thomas McKay: The most notable changes in Twelve Sky 2 are the graphic and quest systems. They have both received major overhauls. I was completely blown away when I first saw the visuals. The character models looked amazing, and the weapon designs had me pumped from the get go. I am sure anyone who has seen the new Marble weapon model will agree. =)

The original quest system was lacking, to say the least. It wasn't able to offer multiple tasks per level, and was not easy to follow. With that in mind, ALT1 was able to create a new, intuitive structure for Twelve Sky 2.

Jonric: What choices do players have when they create their characters? What steps are involved in this stage?

Thomas McKay: New players will first have to pick among the Guanyin, Fujin, and Jinong. Next, they will choose gender, face and hairstyle. After that, they select one of three different starting weapons available for each faction. Each has a specific function - defense, range or damage.